2001: A Space Odyssey’s Brand New Official Trailer Is Perfect

As advanced as home theater technology has gotten in the past few years, some movies still truly need the big screen experience to be fully appreciated, and 2001: A Space Odyssey is certainly one of these films. A result of this special quality is that theater owners love to bring the Stanley Kubrick feature in for special screenings, and do so often. But very few celebrate re-releases by putting together trailers on the level of the epic one that was just cut and posted by the British Film Institute:

After all of these years, 2001: A Space Odyssey still remains as enigmatic narrativly as it was back when it was first released, but watching this trailer is a reminder of just how utterly gorgeous the film is, and the genius that rests in its direction and cinematography. It's honestly remains a challenge to watch Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) run in a full circle around the walls of the space station boxing the air, as it still bends my mind into knots thinking about the sets and set-ups required to get the shots. And for a film made all the way back in the late 1960s - almost a full decade before George Lucas unleashed Star Wars on to the world - it's impossible to see what was done with of-the-day special and visual effects and not drop your jaw.

If you haven't had the chance to see 2001: A Space Odyssey on the big screen before, and you live in England/plan to travel there in the coming months, this trailer also brings along some great news. The BFI cut this trailer together as a promotion for the upcoming re-release of the Stanley Kubrick film that will be invading various British cinemas in the weeks between November 18th and the rest of the year. It will be a limited engagement around the country, and to find the participating movie theater nearest you and when 2001 will be playing, you need do little more than visit the official website.

As beautiful and amazing as this trailer is, I also think that it would be doing all of you a disservice if I didn't also post the original trailer that promoted the movie all the way back in 1968. Head over to Page 2 to watch that equally beautiful cut, and feel free to use the comments section below to spill your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about the legendary film.

Eric Eisenberg
Assistant Managing Editor

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.